Retailers, such as supermarket operators, routinely sell hundreds if not thousands of items, many of which are quite perishable. Some retailers rotate stock so that the more recently received additions to a display case are positioned behind older products which are to be sold sooner. Not only is it important to inventory and track the age of perishable goods to maintain freshness and customer appeal but, oftentimes, date tracking must be carried out to ensure that products which may have deteriorated to the point of spoilage have been removed.
Although no retailer looks forward to removing perishable goods from a display case thus adding to the “shrinkage” burden imposed upon the cost of goods, the alternative of selling products which have spoiled is a considerably less desirable alternative. Not only is the sale of spoiled goods harmful to a retailer's reputation, but such sales could result in compromising a customer's health and resultant liability.
It is thus important that a retailer track the age of perishable goods to ensure freshness and wholesomeness. Products such as fish are particularly susceptible to deterioration and when such products are tray packed, it is oftentimes difficult to determine freshness or wholesomeness merely by visual inspection.
Tracking procedures to create “sell by” dates have, in the past, ranged from the counter manager simply keeping track of such matters in his or her mind to formal recordkeeping in a log. The informal approach to such matters may work effectively in a low volume environment where a single clerk manages the display and sales of perishable products. However, in a large retail environment where there are multiple shifts and constant employee turnover, a more structured approach is necessary. This is particularly true in the display of products which are segmented or tiered where “sell by” dates may differ from segment to segment.
In this regard, reference is made to FIG. 1 where display case 10 is depicted. Display case 10 can be, for example, a refrigerated case displaying perishable products on top portion 11 and bottom portion 12 oftentimes segregated by a paper or similar separator 14. Because top portion 11 would be more prominent to a shopper, products which the retailer wishes to sell more quickly due to product's age may be displayed there while more recent arrivals, thus having a more extended shelf life, would be placed on bottom portion 12. A single sign 13 providing the consumer with product identifying information and cost is positioned as indicated. If a retailer was to create a “sell by” date for product contained within refrigerated case 10, a first date would, by necessity, be established for goods displayed in top portion 11 while a second, more extended date, established for the goods located on bottom portion 12. This obviously complicates the pull dates for the various products contained within refrigerated case 10.
In addition to tracking pull or “sell by” dates, a retailer may also wish to be reminded when products from different segments of a case should be rotated. For example, a retailer may wish to rotate the products on top portion 11 to bottom portion 12 while placing the products on bottom portion 12 onto top portion 11 or to a completely different location. Such considerations may be dictated by product freshness among other concerns.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide signage which is capable of readily reminding a retailer when products should be rotated or pulled from a shelf, particularly as involving perishable goods.
These and other objects will be more readily apparent when considering the following disclosure and appended claims.